Policy information sourced from Enfield Development Managament Document (DMD)

DMD 29 Individual Shops and Small Clusters of Shops

  • The Council will protect individual local shops and small groups of A1 use shops which serve local needs but which are located outside the designated town centres. A change of use on the ground floor from A1 to non-A1 retail use will only be permitted if all of the following criteria are met:
    • If the existing unit provides a convenience shopping facility, there should be adequate and equally accessible provision of alternative convenience shopping facility within a reasonable walking distance of 400 metres;
    • The existing range of shops would not be adversely affected;
    • The proposed use would not harm the character, appearance, and amenity of the area; and
    • The proposed use would not harm the existing environment or transport system or unacceptably add to traffic and parking problems in the area.
  • The change of use from A1 to other town centre uses will be permitted if a shop unit has been vacant for 12 months and robust evidence has been submitted to demonstrate that all efforts have been made to market the unit over that period, in accordance with the details set out in Appendix 13: ‘Requirements for Market Demand and Viability Assessments’.
  • Independent and small shops will be encouraged within designated town centres and provision of suitable, affordable units in new developments, or contributions to support the offer and attractiveness of the town centre may be sought.
  • The Council will protect and encourage appropriately located street markets and farmers market within the borough.

This policy should be read in conjunction with Core Strategy Policy 17.

For more information please see the Development Managament Document (DMD)